Choice of Christmas tree may be influenced by Martha

Got your Christmas tree yet? Chances are, the one you’re putting up has short needles, and a certain imprisoned home decor maven is to blame, or thank, depending on your point of view. Grower Stacy Fladeboe distributes trees across northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. Fladeboe says “Ten years ago, Martha Stewart decided that everybody should have short-needled trees and she has basically made a revolution in this industry, which is great, because short-needled trees, although they take a year or two longer to grow, are easier to grow.” As a result, he says three-quarters of the pine trees his nursery sells are balsam or fraser firs. While Norway and Scotch pines are still popular, Fladeboe says some tree farms don’t even bother growing them anymore.